Having a home comes with a yard. Having a yard means grass to maintain and bushes to shape up. These jobs are time consuming but can be handled quicker with the right tools. I’ve covered lawn trimmers already, so now we can look at hedge trimmers. What is a hedge trimmer? Put simply, it is a machine to trim hedges and bushes.
Shrubbery will get out of hand if you never cut it back to shape. Trimming hedges is a yard task that needs to be done on a regular basis. I suggest trimming hedges once a month in warm weather when plants are growing faster. Getting behind on this work just makes it harder when you find time for it. It also means more bush clippings to rake up. That will cut into your leisure time buddy!
Hedge Trimmer Buyer´s Guide
There are a few variations in hedge trimming machines. Let me fill you in on these options so you can get the right tool from the start.
Gas Powered
These hedge trimmers run on a mixture of gas and oil typically. They are powerful enough to tackle bigger shrubbery. But don’t try to cut limbs that are too big or you can jam the trimming bar. Bigger limbs can always be cut with hand held snips as needed.
Electric Powered
Trimming hedges with electric trimmers is also an option. These machines can be corded, or cordless if they run on a battery pack. These trimmers work great but won’t usually have the power of the gas models. They will save you on fuel costs however. Use caution with corded models as it is easy to get carried away and cut the cord!
Hedge trimmers with an extention pole save you the trouble of using stairs.
Manual Clippers
If you want to go old school, there are hedge trimmers that require only human power. They are basically designed like giant scissors and work the same way. If you only have a few bushes on your property, these are fine. I would not recommend these for a property full of shrubbery. That would be too much physical labor for the average Joe.
Pole Trimmers:
Some hedges are tall or wide which makes them hard to reach. Pole hedge trimmers have an extension pole to better reach these bushes. You can save yourself from going up and down a ladder or having to stretch beyond a comfortable reach with regular trimmers.
As I have said before, hedge trimming is hard work. Get yourself the right trimmer and you won’t over work yourself. Take your time as well. You don’t have to trim every bush in the yard in one day. Getting in a hurry can wear you down with this job. It can also get you hurt. Hedge trimmers can cut fingers just like hedges. Be safe, go at a steady controlled pace, and keep those trimmer blades lubricated with WD-40 as well. Now go out and get those hedges shaped up!
